Anthology of Interest I
by Princess Amanda
Summary: Named after the Futurama episode from which the plot is...uh, borrowed from. Bova builds a what if machine. That's all I'm gonna say. I know it sucks, read it anyway.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I don't own SC. I don't own the main plot, either. I ahem borrowed it from Futurama...which I don't own. I also stole the title...ahem...I meant _ borrowed_ the title..._  
  
**A/N:** I wanted to retire, but noooo, _somebody_ made me write this story. And I did because I know she'll hurt me. So, with no further atchoo..._The Anthology of Interest I_...

* * *

Prologue  
Scientific curiosity was what conviced Bova to build the machine from the plans he found on the SpaceNet. He originally thought it couldn't be built.  
  
After he succeeded, he was sure it wouldn't work.  
  
After realizing he was just _wrong_, he decided it might be interesting to see the machine with the microphone sticking out on top and crank on the side in action with his friends.  
  
So he gathered his fellow crewmates and Thelma into the team room and showed them.  
  
"This," Bova said, "is a what if machine. Ask it a what if question, and the answer plays out on the screen."  
  
"What if I were fifty feet tall?" Thelma asked absently.  
  
"You wouldn't fit on the Christa and even if you could, you'd flatten everyone," Bova replied. "Someone ask a more interesting question."  
  
"I know!" Suzee said. "What if Catalina and I had never switched dimensions?"  
  
Bova spoke into the machine's microphone. "What if Suzee and Catalina had never switched dimensions?"  
  
He turned the crank, and soon, the story played on the screen...  
  



	2. The Riddle of the Sphinxian

**Part One: The Riddle of The Sphinxian**  
  
_What if Suzee and Catalina had never switched dimensions?_  
  
Catalina awoke with a start. The Saturnian rarely dreamed, but when she did these days, it was the same demented dream.  
  
"Are you okay?" a cheerfully concerned voice asked.  
  
Looking at her roommate, Catalina realized it was time to get up anyway. "Yeah, I'm fine," Catalina answered.  
  
"You had the same dream again, didn't you?"  
  
"Rosie, it's no big deal," Catalina replied.  
  
"I know," Rosie said. "It's just that I'd hoped..."  
  
"That I'd get over it?" Catalina suggested. "You try to get over almost being blown up--for the second time since we started this trip, might I add."  
  
"Third, if you want to get technical. Don't forget the Ferna Herna!" Rosie replied.  
  
"Oh, grozit no, Rosie, I wouldn't want to do _that_."  
  
"You know I'm here if you want to talk, don't you Cat?" Rosie asked.  
  
Catalina nodded. "We'd better get ready. I don't really _need_ anymore demerits..."

* * *

"Catalina, you worry too much. If you had been on that ship when it blew up, I could have saved your life," Suzee said later as they walked to the Galley.  
  
"I know," Catalina said. "But...that's what I was kind of worried about. I mean, you think Harlan's cute, and I--"  
  
Catalina was cut off when she walked into someone.  
  
"And you _what_, Rainbow Head?" he asked, a smile playing at his lips.  
  
"I think you need to grow up and stop eavesdropping, Harlan Band," Catalina answered.  
  
Harlan smiled. "I couldn't help it. You were walking straight into me and I forgot to turn my ears off."  
  
That was _so_ funny, _Harlan_."  
  
"You know I try."

* * *

Breakfast and class was pretty uneventful. But free study turned out to be interesting.  
  
Because that's when the Christa crossed into Sphinxian territory.  
  
All of the crew had to report to the Command Post as Thelma explained that once the Sphinxians spotted them, they'd have to correctly answer a riddle in order to pass.  
  
"What happens if we don't?" Bova asked.  
  
"We will be destroyed," Thelma answered.  
  
"Perfect," Commander Goddard said. "I don't suppose any of you were The Riddler in a previous existance?"  
  
"If Suzee were here, she could answer it, no matter how tough," Catalina said.  
  
Commander Goddard perked up a bit at this. "Your imaginary--"  
  
"Invisible."  
  
"Whatever. Suzee is good at riddles?"  
  
"No," Catalina said.  
  
"Then, how--?"  
  
"She can read minds."  
  
"Is there anything Suzee _can't_ do?" Harlan asked.  
  
"Breathe the vaccuum of space," Catalina replied with a shrug.  
  
Not too long after that, the Christa was hailed by the Sphinxian leader.  
  
"If you wish to pass, you must answer my riddle," he demanded. "I have tow arms, but fingers none. I have two legs, but cannot run. I can carry quite a load inside, but when I lift my legs, I can fly. What am I?"  
  
"Group huddle," Commander Goddard ordered.  
  
The crew and Thelm agot into a huddle to discuss the riddle.  
  
"Any thoughts, Thelma?" Rosie asked.  
  
"I was not programmed to be a riddle answerer," Thelma replied.  
  
"It could be an airplane. You know, like the old ones on Earth?" Catalina suggested. "The wings could be the arms, and the legs could be the wheels. The people it carries could be the load, and it can't fly if the wheels are still down."  
  
"That's good, Catalina," Miss Davenport said.  
  
The rest of the crew agreed, so they broke out of the huddle and used Catalina's answer.  
  
The Sphinxian leader smiled evilly. "They always say that."  
  
The last thing any of the Christa crew saw was a blast of pure energy headed straight for them...

* * *

A/N: First of all, I'm tired. It's 2 in the morning, and my fingers hurt from typing. Yeah, I just wanted to complain because I can tell from reading this I should have just retired...but now I'm dedicated to finishing this, so I'll try. Now, my list I wrote...  
1) Every first season episode has Catalina hve one conversation with Suzee, expect Desperately Seeking Suzee, where she has three. That's the only purpose of that convo...that, and I wanted some Harlan/Cat time before they were all destroyed.  
2) I changed the riddle of the Sphinx because I think a few hundred years in the future, everyone will know the answer to the original.  
3) I know Suzee can read minds as long as there's an image, but I don't think she can do so interdimensionally or else Cat would be too perfect by proxy, and that would suck. 


End file.
